Ideology Free AAP?
Shemin Joy’s article saying that AAP is “ideology free” got me thinking. Her article’s trigger was the forced resignation of AAP’s Delhi minster, Rajendra Pal Gautam, for being present at an event when Dalits converted to Buddhism and also ridiculing Hindu deities. AAP, says Joy, seems to be willing to take on (or dump) whatever stance is relevant to the state they contest in – Delhi, Punjab and now Gujarat. If Dalits are important in Delhi, but not so much in Gujarat, the party’s policy on Dalit matters seems very different in the two states. But isn’t that just politics as usual? The difference, as per Joy, and others she quotes in the article, is that AAP calls itself a “welfare” oriented party only . They try and stay agnostic on all other matters – Muslims, Dalits, CAA and pretty much all other polarizing matters. That’s the official policy and most of the time, the party sticks to it: “With an “ideology-less” framework, Kejriwal tries to project that the A...